Review of NCL "Concorde Experience" with pics

[bcs819]

Here's the portion of my 2/29/08 Jewel review with regards to Barbados:

 

Finally had some decent weather as we arrived in Barbados. Our plan here was to take the ship excursion to the Concorde which should have us back around 1 and then go to the Boatyard for the afternoon.

 

There was a problem docking in Barbados as for some reason they assigned us the “Sugar Mill Pier”. As we were pulling in, I said “this is the weirdest pier I have ever seen”. It was very narrow, there was only a narrow walk area perpendicular to the ship for gangways. Apparently the Jewel had never been assigned to this pier before, and CD Jimmy made multiple announcements that this was the first time we had docked here, weren’t expecting it, etc. Consequently, all hell was breaking loose as we didn’t get cleared until after 9:30 and many tours (including ours) were supposed to leave at 9:15. Chaos reigned supreme on the tiny dock area and tour operators, including the ship’s were holding 3 and 4 signs at a time. Multiple announcements were also being made that there would be free shuttle busses running to the main pier area where the shopping was.

 

There were 4 other ships in port that day that I could see, and they seemed to be close, but other cruisers told me it took the shuttle about 20-30 minutes to get there because the pier area was so congested:

 

 

 

We were really looking forward to this excursion as there are only 7 Concorde planes and we thought this might be our only opportunity to see one. Our tour was scheduled to be 3 ½ hours, and made no mention of anything else, so we were excited to spend time exploring the plane and the museum. Included in our tour group, which didn’t get going till after 10 am, were two pilots also very anxious to see the Concorde.

 

We arrived at the Concorde Experience which is in a nice hangar-turned-museum. Lighting was low so pictures were difficult. For security reasons, no bags are allowed in so women had to either leave their purses on the bus, or rent a locker for them at the entrance.

 

The introduction video was very cool, they showed it on the side of the plane. After a 10 minute introduction and Q&A, we were allowed to board the plane and sit in the seats for another informational video. After that we were allowed to single file into the cockpit area. They provided a flashlight to see the controls. From there, we were led down the stairs to the museum area while the second group was led onto the plane. When the second group came off the plane, we were told to go get back on the bus. We were only there 30 minutes, and didn’t even get to watch the second information movie playing in the hangar.

 

Another person from our roll call got very upset as he didn’t get to spend ANY time in the museum part at all, and was told the bus was waiting for him.

 

We thought maybe time was short because we arrived late at the pier, and he still had to be back to make an afternoon tour on time.

 

Much to our surprise, he stopped at the St John Parish Church and told us we had 20 minutes here. The church was nice, but I live in Philadelphia where churches are older, and we had ZERO interest in seeing an old church. It turned out being good that we were not excited about the church because as we walked in they were getting ready for a wedding (yes, it was a Wednesday) and the bride was waiting in the vestibule – so the pastor asked us to step outside. Now people were asking the driver why we were here and he kept saying “it’s part of the tour”. One woman pulled the description out and asked him to show her where it said we would be making stops other than the Concorde. He walked away.

 

After we spent 20 minutes wandering around outside the church or sitting in the parking lot next to the bus, we finally re-boarded the bus and headed back to the ship. The driver was nice enough to take us on a tour of the “low-income” housing area…and then he parked the bus here:

 

 

We asked what we were doing here and he said we were stopping for a drink. There was garbage here, raw lumber and laundry hanging on the front porch. 8 of us refused to get off the bus. The driver came back on to the bus and told us we needed to get off. We refused and he shrugged his shoulders and said “Fine – sit here for a half hour, I don’t care”. While on the bus, we discussed how disappointing it was that the tour was called the CONCORDE EXPERIENCE and we were spending as much time at this dump as we did at the Concorde. Several of us took pictures to use for our complaint that the tour was misrepresented. After about 30 minutes, 2 guy from the tour ventured into the “local watering hole” to tell the driver it was time to go.

 

When we finally made it back to the ship after 2 pm, 8 of us headed directly to the Pursers Desk to complain, with pictures in hand. We were told that we had to “fill out a special report” at the Excursion Desk which was not open – surprise, surprise.

 

We hit the buffet for lunch and went to our cabin for sailaway. We invited some Cruise Critic people to our balcony for sailaway. I ordered some crudite and fruit plates from room service and had a plate of cheese I snagged from the buffet.

 

After sailaway, I headed to the Excursion desk where I had to fillout a 3 page report to complain about the excursion. I asked for a copy “in case it got lost” and the Excursion girl Raluca assured me it wouldn’t, and that I would get a letter of resolution on the last day of the cruise. I still insisted on a copy, which turned out to be a good thing…

[Aplmac]

Moral of the Story? - don't do ship-tours

- they're a rip-off and you know it. Now you really know it.

 

 

______________________________

On behalf of my island, Barbados

I apologise for the rough time you had.

 

Your driver should not have deviated to the extent he did

from the tour you thought you were in for.

 

20 mins. at St.John's Church is a bit long.

Most people are there for pics of the great view

so 10-15 mins. is usually quite sufficient

especially since you guys were already running late.

 

You certainly should not have been carried into a low-class area,

such as that pictured.

 

 

 

You docked at the Flour Mill Dock.

It's a bulk facility for off-loading of wheat and other grains

bound for the silos of the local flour mill right nearby, which you might have noticed?

It is not intended for tourism/cruise-ship use

and is only pressed into service a few busy days of the year

when five or more ships are due in Port, as was the case that day!

 

My lower two photos of Norwegian Jewel to be seen at..

http://www.angelfire.com/wizard2/cncisland/bigships/NJewel.html

were taken at that small impromptu dock.

 

 

____________________________________________

Thank you for your honest and frank revelation.

I can only hope that local authorities see to it

that this doesn't repeat itself ever again.

[bcs819]

Moral of the Story? - don't do ship-tours

- they're a rip-off and you know it. Now you really know it.

 

Actually, we' about 50-50 on ships tours vs. private tours. Our favorite excursion this cruise was a ship tour. We also did two private tours on this cruise. We do what we want, if it's not available thru the ship, we book it on our own.

 

Thanks for the feedback about the pier. They did tell us it was rarely used, and it didn't look like sugar to me, but that's what they called it.

 

How much woulda taxi have been from the pier to the airport - do you know?

[Aplmac]

Actually, we' about 50-50 on ships tours vs. private tours.

Our favorite excursion this cruise was a ship tour.

We also did two private tours on this cruise. We do what we want,

if it's not available thru the ship, we book it on our own. ===> Makes sense.

 

Thanks for the feedback about the pier. ===> You're welcome!

They did tell us it was rarely used, and it didn't look like sugar to me,

but that's what they called it. ===> Lies/"fabrications" in the name of Tourism..:cool:

 

How much woulda taxi have been from the pier to the airport - do you know?

It's the Flour Mill Dock, but I guess that doesn't sound "glam" enough

...they'd rather lie to you. Dismaying.:cool: Maybe I'm just too 'real'. sorry.

 

 

Taxi fare from the Port area to the Airport?

I'm not good with taxi fares, but I'd think U.S.$ 40 either way?

Don't quote me on that. A lot depends on who you meet who you ask,

whether you have them wait for you while you're up there,etc.

 

If you're the adventurous type, you might taxi up there,

take your time doing whatever, and then BUS it back to the Bridgetown area

for just Bds.$1.50 per person ( = U.S.$ 0.75 per person)..that 75 U.S.cents each.

 

 

_____________________________

The first pic shows where you guys were docked.

The Flour Mill Dock.

Un-occupied by any ship - wide open.

 

Notice the grain hopper at left, like a square-ish funnel, in its braced stand.

That's where the wheat gets dumped into, from the wheat-ship.

It then goes up the long grey sloping conveyor belt, into the large silos to be stored

until it's time to grind it into flour for the island's bakeries.

Ain't no sugar there AT ALL!

 

Second pic (is not the best but) shows the big Grab-bucket on the end of the cable hoist

that dumps the bulk wheat from the ship's hold, into the hopper

so clearly visible in..

 

..Pic. three -a nice sunset shot- showing the hopper highlighted in golden light

at the side of the ship,there - you get the picture, I'm sure!

[Aplmac]

Truth is.. that when the Bridgetown Port was designed back in the late 1950's

it was designed as a cargo Port to further the development of the island that was to come.

As a cargo Port it was built big, ahead of its time - but aren't we glad now!

 

Back then, no-one saw cruise-ship tourism coming up over the horizon, some 30-40 yrs. distant

and so fifty yrs. later, we have cruise-ships coming into what is not really designed

-all cute and scenic- for that purpose.

 

Barbados really needs to construct a separate purpose-built cruise dock facility

(just North of the Bridgetown cargo Port?) with two piers sticking out 200 yds. each(min.!)

capable of holding two ships each - 1 ship on each side of the 2 docks.

 

That four-ship capacity would satisfy most 'cruise-ship-days'

in pleasant tourism-designed surroundings

with any excess berthing being re-directed to the present B'town Port proper

(and never to the Flour Mill Dock!)

 

That may yet come, but it'll take time and money.

 

The biggest problem with that vision,apart from the $$ ..is the Where?

..because Gov't. would have to compulsorily acquire

at least 1 km. of beachfront real estate for the project

which would cost a million zillion dollars (just for the beachfront land!)

and then we start with some land reclamation going 100 yds out maybe,

and the 2 piers perpendicular to that reclaimed area.

 

Visions are all very well and good, but they usually take serious money!

It's not gonna happen anytime soon.